Searching for Safety
by Ennairam Atrum Austerus
Summary: AU; We all know that Holmes ran 15 miles after escaping his fate in The Final Problem. But after that, what happened?
1. Chapter 1: Running Away

I run, I run as fast as my feet can carry me. After 15 miles of running I feel safe enough to slow down. I stop for a moment, to catch my breath. When it had returned to a normal pace I start walking.  
But only then does the adreline leave my body, which was the thing that kept me going. My head is beginning to feel light en my body begins to feel numb. I look up to the sky and see that day is gradually turning into night. My hands start to shiver and I begin to stagger. But I keep going, knowing I can still be in danger. I don't know how much longer I walk but at some point I just collapse against a rock.  
Breathing heavily, I try to stand up, only to fall down again. It is then that I realise how tired I am. My head is pounding and my hands are still shaking, either from the cold or the pain. When I had climbed downwards I had scraped them up realy badly. I know they would need stitching. Oh, I wish Watson is here beside me. But he isn't. Guilt washes over me. Here I am, alive and I led him to believe that I had died in the waterfalls. I can still remember him screaming my name, hoping for a reply. But it did not came. Why had I not replyed, oh why had I not replyed? Wait...Moran, he was still looking for me when I was there...If I had answered Watson he would surely have killed me, and Watson perhaps too. With a sigh I lean back, feeling a little less guilty knowing that I did not had much choice. My eyelids begin to droop. No, I must stay awake, I must. But my body does not want to cooperate. My eyes close and I feel myself falling down into the realm blessed unconsciousness. 


	2. Chapter 2: Going Back

Walking towards to hotel, I am overcome by grief and guilt. I should never have gone to the blasted hotel and leave Holmes alone out there near the waterfalls. But I did. And no there is no turning back. My best friend is dead, and all because of me. When I reach the hotel I go straight to my room to lie down. I can feel tears pricking at the corners of my eyes and I let them fall. Maybe it's not a very manly thing to do, but I couldn't care less right now. I can't believe Holmes is really dead, it's a fact I can't accept. Maybe he didn't fall into the waterfalls, maybe he managed to got hold of a potruding rock and climbed the whole way down. But then he would have returned to the hotel, so no, that wouldn't be the case.

Suddenly a thought hits my mind. The local police checked the entire area and only found some clothing in the water, which wasn't Holmes his clothing, but probably that of Moriarty. So that could mean Holmes managed to escape somehow! But..if he did, why didn't he return? Hmm...maybe he's hurt then, or has a concussion and just walked somewhere randomly. No matter, he is alive!

I get out of bed, rush out of the hotel and run straight towards to place where I found the letter. Looking around for clues as to where he might be, I come across the footprints leading towards the end of the cliff but not returning. I look up towards the great wall of stone. There! A piece of clothing, gray clothing, pierced through one of the smaller rocks near a platform. He must have climbed upwards then. I start to run until I reach the top of the mountain. And sure, there are footprints, vague, but nonetheless they are footprints. Taking a closer look at them I realise he must have been running, since there is a great distance between the first footprint and the second footprint. I wonder what got him running away at such a speed.

I begin to follow the footprints, hoping that they can lead me towards Holmes.

*much, much later*

The sky is darkening and rain begins to fall down. The footprints I have been following for about 15 miles, begin to fade away. Curse the rain! Now it will become even more difficult to find Holmes. I stand still for a moment, contemplating what to do. The decission is quickly made, I will just keep walking straight on. After walking for five minutes or more, I suddenly see something lying against a rock in the distant. I quicken my pace, and slowly but surely it's beginning to take the shape of human. I run towards it and when I reached it, I drop down. 'Holmes!' I practically all but scream. Relief washes over me, but then fear takes over. He is unconsious, trembling and very pale. I take his polse to check for a pulse. There is a pulse, thank God, but it's going too fast to be healthy. It is then that I noticed his hands are all scraped up and bleeding. Also, I notice a small red stain on his upper chest. And then I realise his clothes are all torn. I quickly pull out my jacket and place it over him, to offer him some warmth. God knows how long he's been lying out here in the cold. I lie next to him and take him in my arms. His body tempature is too low, so I hope by holding him I can transfer some of my body warmt to him.


End file.
